I was looking at the Vivisectionist archetype for the alchemist and noticed the spell anthropomorphic animal. What is the point of this spell? I just cannot imagine any genuinely useful purpose for it, beyond "oh, look, I'm Dr. Moreau."
Also, I'm torn between the Vivisectionist and Chirurgeon archetypes. I want to play the party healer. Chirurgeon makes more obvious sense, but the Vivisectionist archetype could be played up as a mad surgeon sort of character.
Well you see, it's used for . . .
Well obviously they intended for it to be . . .
. . .
Yea i got nothin.
Already had a big thread. Among my contributions were that it gives a druidless/rangerless party a "speak with animals". Also cheap manual labor for emergencies.
Also, you can make Ladder Adders - poisonous snakes that can climb Ladders.
In general it seems like a better spell for GMs to use to enhance BBEG flavor.
Party Healer? Probably Chirurgeon, although Infusion means you can share healing extracts with the party anyways...
Very true with the infusion discovery. That said, is there a particular archetype that everyone says is just awesome? I like the flavor of many of them, but summoning creatures and making clones/undead really doesn't fit the character concept (a gnome healer/snake oil salesman).
My favorite Alchemist Archetype is no archetype. By and large, you can get the flavor things you want (zombies, clones, etc) by spending a few discoveries and not nerfing your bombs. A high level Vanilla Alchemist with the Greater Simulacra discovery has the potential to break Pathfinder.And seems to be capable of killing Am Barbarian.
If I had to pick one archetype, it'd be the Preservationist.
there is no archetype that is "just awesome", the vanilla alchemist is good.
The mindchemist makes him better at what he's best at, but takes away some options. (actually only poison use as you can get mutagens trough discovery)
The vivisectonist makes the alchemist something completly different, he becomes a rogue. And beastmorph makes him a rogue that is better at combat.
At least that's how I see it. Other archetypes give good fluff but aren't generally "better" than vanilla, however only a few are worse. *evil glance at ragechemist*
It actually does have a use. Anthro animal gives the creature arms/hands and speech. A familiar's share spells allows you to use spells on it that don't normally affect creature's of the familiar's type (magical beast). With anthro animal, your Tumor Familiar can Use Magic Devices!
...Of course not long after you gain anthro animal, you could just take Improved Familiar for something that can use magic devices anyway...
But hey, it's something!